Oil burner



Patented July l, 1941 UNITED STATE s PATENT omc-g i on. BURNER Lynn OtisSelby, Cromwell, Conn., assignor to The Silarlnal EngineeringCorporation, a corporation .of Connecticut Application Maren 4, i939,serai No. 25am i (c1. s-2s) s claims.

My invention relates to oil burners. It has among its objects to providean improved controlling mechanism for such burners, and particularly forsuch burners of the type including a preheating burner, herein calledthe distillate burner`, and a main burner, herein called a power burner,preheated and maintained hot bythe dis- A tillate burner ready forstarting and operation at any time in accordance .with heating demandsof the system. A further object of my invention is to provide improvedcontrolling mechanism whereby both burners may be controlled andcoordinated in their operation in such manner that following lighting ofone burner and'operation of a manual control member, the two burners arev successivelyr brought into lfull operation. Astill 'further object ofmy invention is to provide such improved controlling mechanism havingimproved means for controlling both burners wherebyboth burners arestarted and stopped in an improved manner and whereby the power burneris also controlledin an improved manner during operato control the flowto the bu'rner base. Further,-

-it will be noted that although the distillate burner may be manuallyignited as, `for example, with a usual taper, I-have shown the same asprovided with an electric spark plug I0 adapted to ignite the outer wickI I which, in turn, ignites the inner i wick I2 through any usual means.Herein,also,

tion of the distillate burner. 'I'hese and other objects and advantagesof my improved construction will, however. hereinafter more fullyappear.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown for purposes of illustrationcertain embodiments which my invention may assume in practice.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation partiallyins'ection of a combineddistillate and power burner equipped for use with my improvement;

Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram of the electric control mechanismtherefor; Y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailsectional view showing the seepage supplymeans on the solenoid `valve of the distillate burner, and I Fig. 4 is adetail view of the time switch.

In this illustrative construction, I have shown a combined distillateand power burnerl of the construction described and claimed in mycopending applicationv Serial No. 156,989, flied 'August 2, 1937, thesame having improved controlling mechanism whereby, following ignitingof the distillate or preheating and maintaining burner, generallyindicated at I, and subsequent operation of a manual control member 2,the fuel supply in the main, or power burner, generally indicated at 8,is automatically y.started after a predetermined time interval, the twoburners thereafter continuing in operation with thepower burnerautomatically cut inl and out of operation inl-accordance with thedemands for heat, as

needed, while the distillate burner maintains the spark plug III andwick II are connected in circuit with a secondary coil I8 of atransformer l T having its primary coil I4 connected across the line Land controlled by a suitable switch I5, herein in' the form of a pushbutton. Thus, with a fiat portion I8 provided on the stemioi!l thesolenoid valve 9 (Fig. 3), it is possible, when this valve is closed,for a small quantity of oil to seep from the chamber 6 into the burnerbase in such manner as to maintain the wicks II and I2 saturated and.thereby enable the same to be ignited at any time by operation of thespark plus III, although it will, of course, be understood that thisseepage Vwill not be suiilcient to maintain combustion in the burnerwhen the valve 8 is closed. Consequently, when the push button I5 isoperated, the wick II will be ignited, while the solenoid valve 8 willbe subsequently opened by my 'improved controlling mechanism, ashereinafter described.

Referring tothe power burner, the same herein is also of the generalconstruction described'in my above mentioned application, including avaporizing chamber Il disposed axially within the vaporizing chamber Iaof the distillate burner and `having an air supply tube I8 extending-axially upward therethrough; this air mixing with the vapor rising fromthe chamber Il and -igniting therewith immediately adjacent the upperend of theair tube. Herein, as in my previous construction, air issupplied to the air tube I8`from a suitable blower I9 driven'by anelectric motor 20 and having its draft suitably adjustable as by ashutter 2l; the air supply 4from the blower being delivered to the tubeI8 through a supply pipe 22. Herein, however, the fuel supply-to the theA5:5 vaporizing chamber Il, while indirectly connected permittingseepage as referred to heretofore in connection with the valve 9 in thedistillate burner. Thus, whenever the solenoid valve 26 is opened, oilwill flow by gravity from the constant level chamber 6 into the powerburner vaporizing chamber Il, and, when the distillate burner hasbrought the vaporizing chamber to a suiciently high temperature, thepower burner will start as a result of the ignition of the vapor in thechamber Il as it emerges therefrom and is mixed with the air from theair supply pipe i8, immediately adjacent the top of the latter pipe.

Cooperating with the above distillate and power burner mechanisms isimproved controlling mechanism for effecting operation of the same inthe desired sequence automatically following lighting of the distillateburner and operation of the manual control member 2.

Referring rst to the control of the distillate burner, it will be notedthat, as shown in Figure 2, the solenoid valve 3 of the distillateburner has its coil 21 in a. conductor 28 connected between a lineconductor 29 and a stationary terminal 3U on a suitable switch base 3|on which the control member 2 is pivoted. Here, it will .also be notedthat a contact 32 is carried on the pivoted contro1 lever 2, and thatthe latter'electrically connects this contact with the other lineconductor 33. Moreover, it will be observed that a ratchet 34 isprovided around the pivot 35 of the lever 2 to require clockwiserotation there of. Attention here is. also directed to the fat thatanother contact 36 is carried on the switch base 3i and spaced fromthecontact 30 in such manner asto be engaged bythe contact 32-in the lastcontact engaging position of the latter; this contact being connected tothe conductor 23 by a conductor 3l. Thus, it will be evident that withthe wick llignited, movement of the control lever 2 from the -oifposition, indicated in full lines in Figure 2, and in a clockwisedirection, will bring its contact 32 into engagement with the contact 3Uas shownl'in dotted lines, and thereby actuate the coil 2'l'of thesolenoid valve S controlling the oil supply to the distillate burner, insuch manner as to open this Valve and permit the distillate burnerthereafter to operate normally. I However, when the lever 2 is swungy todlsengage the contacts 32 and 30, it will also benoted that thissolenoid valve 9 will again be opened by reason of the engagement of thecontact 32 with the contact 36.

Referring to the control mechanism for the power burner, it willbe'observed that cooperating controlling mechanism is provided, wherebythe power burner is controlled by the member 2 in an intermediateposition of the latter. I-Ierein, a contact 3.8 is provided on the base3| adjacent the contact 3D, both of these contacts being adapted to bebridged by the contact 32 when the lever 2 is in the on positionindicated in dotted lines. This contact 38 is connected by a conductor39 to any suitable time switch 40 adapted to close a circuit after apredetermined time interval. Obviously,u this 'time switch may be eithermechanically controlled as by a dash-pot or clock mechanism, orelectrically controlled as by a thermostat or synchronous electricmotor, and it will be understood that I do not wish to be restricted asto the type of time switch provided. Herein, I have shown a well knowntype of thermostatic switch including a heating coil 40a of highresistance and suitably heat insulated from a bimetallic contactcarrying element 40h heated thereby and adapted to flex and engage acontact 40o after the desired interval. Further, the current flowthrough the contact 40o of the time switch controls the current owthrough conductor 4iv to the fan motor I2l) and further controls thecurrent flow through a' conductor 42 which is.- connected to a suitablepressurestat switch 43 terval of sufficient length to permit thedistil-v late burner to bring the vaporizlng chamber of the power burnerto the required temperature, preferably for a period of from fifteen totwenty minutes, the time switch 40 will then close its normally opencontacts to enable current to flow from the conductor 39 through theconductors 4i and 42 to start the motor 2i) of the blower i9 and to openthe valve 26 of the power burner. 'Ihereaften-both'the distillate burnerand the power burner being supplied with full supplies of oil, `the samewill operate to'getherfsolon'g as the contact member 2 remains in itson" position, and the pressure developed in the boiler does not exceed acertain amount. Should, however, this pressure limit be reached, thepressurestat switch 43, which is responsive to boiler pressure, will beoperated in a well known manner toA break the'circuit tothe coll 44ofthe power burner valve 26 and thereby permit the latter to close andshut down the power burner, which will remain shut down until thepressure drops and the pressurestat switch 43 returns to its normal orcircuit closing position.

In the operation` of my improved burner, the push button I5 ispreferably'operated as the first step in starting, and the control lever2 is then moved from oif to on position, although obviously the igniting`mechanism will function should the push button be operated after themember 2 has been moved into on position. Thus, the user has only topush the push button and move the control lever 2 into on" position;subsequent starting of the power burner after a proper time intervalbeing accomplished automatically through my improved mechanism. Here, itwill also be understood that the time switch, which is normally open,will close the circuit of the power burner valve and the fan motor whenthe vaporizing chamber of the power burner, disposed axially within thevaporizing chamber of the distillate burner, has been sufciently heatedby the distillate burner to bring the axial portion of the base,including the parts comprising the power burner vaporizing chamber, tosuch a temperature that suillcient vapor will be generated in the powerburner vaporizing chamber to ignite at the to`p of the air tube whenmixed with the air il'ow, and support combustion.

- temperature, electromagnetically operated valves possible to move thecontact 32 outof. on position and into engagement with the contact 36,whereupon the power burner will be manually cut out while the distillateburner is maintained in operation. Here itwill also be noted that theratchet mechanism requires movement of the member 2 relative to contacts30, 38 and 36 controlling said oil supplies, mechanism for starting saidpreheating and maintaining burner having means for opening the valvewofsaid burner to effect a gravity ilow'from its oil supply, and mechanismfor startingy said other burner having time controlled means for auto--matically opening the valve of said'other burner in a predeterminedsequence, in such manner as,

through insuring a predetermined rotation .of

the, member 2, to minimize confusion in operay tion.

As a result; of my improved construction, it is made possible toeliminate altogether the longv period of manual supervision heretoforeincident to the starting of the combined distillate and'` 'power burnerof my above mentioned application. Instead, all that an operator has todo is to light the distillate burner by pushing the push button and thenthrow the control member into on position, whereupon the distillateburner operates normallyand, after the parts of the power burner havebeen brought to the defsired temperature by the distillate burner, the

power burner starts automatically. Further, it requires no furthersupervision by the operator when maximum pressure isrequired through outthe operating day, the operator only having to shut down the burner atthe end o! the day.

Also, during the day the pressurestat switch,

will turn the power burner oi and on, as necessary, to maintain thedesired pressure; it here being noted that circuit through the timeswitch isv maintained while the pressrestat switch is open, and furtherthat the fan motor is kept running so that when the pressure drops, thepower burnerwill be started again withoutdelay. Moreover, if theoperator knows that there will be a considerable period during the daywhen the demand for steam will be less than normal, as, for example,when only one, as distinguished from a considerable number of machines,are operating from the pressure source,

to eiect a gravity flow from its oil supply only when said preheatingburner has, operated for a sufficient time to bring said other burner tooperating temperature and while maintaining said preheating andmaintaining burner in operation throughout the operation of said otherburner.

2. In combination, a'pair' of oil burners each having a gravity oilsupply and one burner requiring preheating at high temperature for asubstantial period and the other adapted so to preheat said rstmentioned b urner, electromagneticallyv operatedvalves controlling saidoil supplies, and mechanism for starting said burners having means foropening the valve of said ypreheating burner toeiect a gravity flow fromits oil supply, time controlled means operative while said valve remainsopen for automatically opening the valve of the preheated burner toelect a gravity flow from its oil supply only when said preheatingburner has operated for a sumcient time to bring said preheated burnerto operating temperature, and means for lntermitl tently opening andclosing the valve to said preit is possible to cut out the power burnerduring -this interval and run only -on the distillate burner.

It will be understood that while I have herein referred to a vaporizingchamber la and a carbon leg '5, whether vaporization occursin one or theother depends upon the temperature at which the burner is operating,vaporization occurring in chamber la when the burner is relatively cold,as when starting, and in .the carbon leg when atoperatingtemperature, asis wellknown in the operation of burners of this type.

While I have in this application specifically described one embodimentwhich my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood thatthis form oi' the same'is chosen for purposes of illustration, and thatthe invention may be modified and embodied in other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope heated-burner in response todemands yi'or'heat heated burner vwhiley operating the preheating burnerto maintain the preheated burner at starting temperture.

3. In combination, a pair of oil burners each having a gravityoilsupply, a combustion chamber and a -vaporizer, and one burner preheatingthe vaporiz'er of the preheated burner to effect transfer of the oilfrom the vaporizer thereof, by l expansion of its heated vapors, tothecombusply, timev controlled mechanism controlled by' said iirstmentioned mechanism for automatically opening said preheated burnervalve when the other burner has been brought to operating 'temperatureby said preheating burner to efi'ec't agravity flow from its oil supply,and means for intermittently starting and stopping said prewhilemaintaining the preheating burner operating suillciently to maintain thevaporizer of said preheated burner suiilciently hot to v aporize vfueltherein and permit immediate starting of said preheated burner at anytime.

4. In combination, a pair of oil burners each having a gravity oilsupply, a combustion chamber and a vaporizer, and one burner preheatingthe vaporizer of the preheated burner to effect transfer of the oil fromthe vaporlz'er thereof,

by expansion of its heated vapors, to the combustion chamber thereof,electrically operated plunger valves controlling said oil supplies, andelectric controlling mechanism for said valves including a switch foropening the valve for said preheating burner to effect a gravity flowfrom its oil supply, time controlled means controlled.

by said switch for automatically opening the valve of said preheatedburner when the latter burner has been brought to operating temperatureby said preheating burner to effect a'gravity ilow from its oil supply,and means for intermittently starting and stopping said preheated burnerin response to demandsvfor heat while maintaining said preheating burneroperating sufiiciently to maintain the vaporizer of said preheatedburner sufficiently hot to vaporize fuel therein and permit immediatestarting of said preheated burner at any time.

5. In combination, a pair of oil burners each having a gravity oilsupply, a combination chamber and a vaporizer, and one burner preheatging the vaporizer of the other, electromagnetically operated valvescontrolling said oil supplies including a valve for said preheatingburner having a constantly open seepage connection to the latter, acommon manually operable controlmember for both burners, meanscontrolled by the operation of said manually operable controlling memberfor initially opening the valve for said preheating burner to eect agravity flow from its oil supply, means likewise controlled by theaforesaid operation of said manually operable controlling member forsubsemixed with air from said Vair supply, and means quently opening thevalve for said preheated..

burner after a predetermined preheatingoperation of the latter by saidpreheating burner to effect a gravity flow from its oil supply, andmeans for opening and closing the valve controlling the oil supply tosaid preheated burner in response to varying demands for heat whilemaintaining the valve controlling the supply to said preheating burnerconstantly open and said preheated burner ready for immediate operation.

responsive to the heat generated by said burners for automatically bothclosing the valve of said preheated burner and opening said valveindependently of said time control means while maintaining the preheatedburner preheated by said preheating burner and readyl for operation.

8. In combination, a pair of oil burners each having a vaporizer and oilsupply means, and one burner preheating the vaporlzer of the other,electromagnetically operated valves controlling said oil supplies,electrically operated pressure air supply means for the preheatedburner, a

6. In combination, a pair of oil burners each y having a gravity oilsupply and one burner preheating the other, said preheated burner havinga vaporizing chamber and an air supply coaxial with its vaporlzingchamber and said vaporizing chamber surrounded and heated by saidpreheating burner, solenoidoperated plunger valves control means forautomatically opening the oil valve thereof to effect a gravity feedfrom its -oil supply and supplying air to said air supply only whensa'id preheating burner has operated for a sufficient time to generatesufiicient vapor in the vaporizing chamber of said preheated burner tomaintain combustion in the latterwhen said vapor is mixed with air fromsaid air supply, and means for starting and stopping the preheatedburner while continuingto supply air to the same and while maintainingthe same heated by said preheating burner ready for starting at anytime.

7. In combination, a pair of oil burners each having a gravity oilsupply and one burner preheating the other, said burners having coaxialvaporizing chambers and said preheated burner having an air supplycoaxial with its vaporizing chamber and disposed within the vaporizingchamber of said preheating burner, electromagnetically operated 'valvescontrolling said oil suptime delay switch controlling the circuits of.said air supply means and the valve for said preheated-burner, and amanually operative switch having a movable contact member and acooperating contact engageable thereby in one position of said movablemember and energizing the valve for the preheating burner and the timeswitch, whereby after a predetermined operation of the preheating burneroil and air will be supplied to the preheated burner, and anothercooperating contact engageable by said movable member in anotherposition thereof wherein the time switch is deenergized and only thevalve for the preheating burner remains energized.

9. In combination, a pair of oil burners each having a vaporizer and oilsupply means, and

plies,mechanisin for opening the valve of said ,v

one burner preheating the vaporizer of the other, electromagneticallyoperated valves controlling said oil supplies, electrically operatedpressure air supply means for the preheated burner, a time delay switchcontrolling the circuits of said air supply means and the valve for saidpreheated burner, a manually operative switch having 'a` contact memberand a cooperating contact engageable thereby in one position of saldimovable member and energizing the valve for the preheating burner andthe time switch, wherebyafter a predetermined operation of thepreheating burner oil and air will be supplied to the preheated burner,and another 'cooperating contact engageable by said movable `member inanother position thereof wherein the time switch is deenergized and onlythe valve for the preheating burner remains energized, and meansoperative only in said first mentioned position of said switch inresponse to varying demands for heat for interrupting the circuit to thevalve for the preheated burner, while the valve for the preheatingburner and the time switch remain energized.

LYNN OTIS SELBY.

A CERTIFICATE oF coRREcTIoN. 'Paterit No; 2,2LL?,857. v July 1,` 19m.

LYNN oTIs sELBY.

y'It is hereby certified that error appe-are in the printedspecification of the above numbered p atent requiring ycorrection asfollows: Page 1+, firs-t column, line .8, claim 5, for the word"combination" read --combustion;

and thatthe said Let-ters Patent ,should be read with this correctionthere'- in that the seme may conform to the-rebord of the, case in thePatent Office.

Signed end sealed this 2nd day of September, A; D. 19l\.

. Henry Van Aredale, (Seal) VActing Commissioner of Patents.

